Jan 27th

[gabbana]

SEASON: 94-73 +16.60

Jan 27:

DEN NUGGETS @ MEM GRIZZLIES
PLAY: UNDER 204 -102

The way memphis plays lately i really cant see this total fly over 200. Scoring 92 ppg overall memphis are on a 9 game su & ats loosing streak and they lost 17 of last 19 games. In this bad run they passed over 200 only 2 times, against indiana and in ot against spurs. Scored over 95 only 5 times in last 19. I know denver's offense is on fire but only one team has scored 110+ against grizzlies lately. 108-95 my predicted score.

IND PACERS @ ORL MAGIC
PLAY: ORL MAGIC -9 -103

Magic played only 4 games in past 14 at home they spent alot of time on the road. Orlando is on a 2 game loosing streak, Indiana on a 2 game winning streak. Magic has one of the best defenses at home with 89 ppg allowed. On the other hand pacers have one of the worst defenses in the league with 107 ppg. 16-4 at home and 2-0 su this season against Indi magic has beaten double digits at home good teams like, spurs, hornets, heat, hawks. There is a great chance orlando gets to 110+ in this one.

 

[Prophet]

love the under in the denver game.

 

[HighFlyinKilla]

Just read this article that says the Grizllies are going to be playing an uptempo style with new coach.

One of Griz coach Lionel Hollins' first acts as Marc Iavaroni's successor was to pull aside Conley before practice for a short and snappy sidebar.

"He told me how much freedom I'll have and what he's expecting," Conley said, smiling. "He wants me to put the jets on and push the ball."

Conley kept smiling.

He couldn't stop, actually.

Hollins has said that the team's style change may not be totally evident tonight when the Denver Nuggets visit FedExForum with designs on spoiling his debut. But Hollins made clear his short-term plans involve the Grizzlies' second-year point guard.

Hollins, a former all-star guard, intends to push Conley and see if the 21-year-old can produce. That means Conley will direct the show with the responsibility of calling sets and making plays without looking over his shoulder.

"I want to see if Mike Conley is a basketball player on a high level," Hollins said, referring to Conley's status as a fourth overall draft pick. "I understand the pressure of being a high pick, of being the first guard picked. I was the No. 6 (overall) pick. But I want to see what he can do.

"I'm going to give Conley a lot of pushing and a lot of freedom and see what he can do."

What can Conley show in a 39-game window?

For starters, a fair criticism has been his overall lack of aggressiveness. Conley's reluctance to play at a faster pace, though, can be traced to Iavaroni, who was fired last Thursday.

Iavaroni talked publicly about a guard-oriented system and gave the impression behind closed doors that the guards would be in control. But Conley, and Kyle Lowry, often were required to look at the bench to Iavaroni for a play when the games began.

The Grizzlies hardly ran a free-flowing offense that put defenses on their heels. Their plodding style was often easy to defend and didn't play to the players' strengths.

Conley's now been told to race up the court. When an easy scoring opportunity isn't there, he's to move the ball and ignite one of the motion sets Hollins installed.

"There's more pressure when you don't have that opportunity," Conley said. "When you don't have that opportunity you're worried about messing up too much. You want to stay on the floor so bad. Now, I'm just going to go out and push the ball and play as hard as I can. I saw the last two games that it does help me get going."

What Lowry took from Hollins' message to his backcourt is that with freedom comes great responsibility to make good decisions. During practice Monday, Hollins reminded his team that he won't mind fast-breaks under any circumstance as long as the execution is there.

"What's the use of getting a stop if you turn the ball over?" Hollins said.

The Griz average an NBA-low 16.5 assists to 14.6 turnovers.

"He wants our assists to go up and that means we'll have the ball more to make plays," Lowry said. "We both have an open mind right now. We just have to learn and grow."

The worst-case scenario for Conley, again the team's starting point guard, is that he continues what has been largely an underwhelming season. Best-case is that Hollins reaches Conley like he did Mike Bibby, who emerged as one of the premier point guards in the league.

Bibby, now with the Atlanta Hawks, began to develop under Hollins when the latter was interim coach in Vancouver.

"He lets people play to their strengths," Bibby said after an Atlanta practice over the weekend. "For some coaches you've got to be a robot. You've got to be a machine. They want you to do this that way and that this way. He just let you go out there and play. My second year I was averaging like nine points and he took over and it went up to like 14.5. He got me really established in this league.

"He should have had the job in Vancouver, or he should have kept the job. But they brought somebody else in instead. I guess it's never too late to correct a mistake."

So excuse Conley and Hollins for throwing out the first 43 games.

"You have to have an opportunity to do it," Hollins said. "It can't be stops and starts. It's got to be, 'Here's the ball and here's the responsibility. Now go do it.'"

 

[gabbana]

i know..might be dangereus but i trust denver to get the job done tonight.

 

[desi]

good luck gabbana

 

[thatoneguy]

that's a good find highflyinkilla, thanks very much!

 

[CHUGG]

BOLd1g1t

 

[CAP-IT-OFF]

GL Gabby...

 

[SonnyCrockett]

bol!
denver up to 204.5/205

 

[VenomousSanction]

gl Gabby

 

[HammerTime]

magic, yipee

 

[SonnyCrockett]

nice hit with magic... under looks good too

 

[Jeet11]

Good stuff G...

 

[fugazi]

nice 2-0 night, great job Gab. I was on both of these plays myself greatly influenced by your post.

 

[gabbana]

yeah ...finally a sweep...both easy winners

 

[SonnyCrockett]

thanks gabby!

great calls